Reneé Rapp on Blurring the Line Between Bestie and Lover
Produced by Reva GoldbergEmily LangDavis LandChristina DjossaAmy Pearl and Sara Curtis
Edited by Lynn LevyDavis Land and Jen Poyant
Engineered by Daniel Ramirez
Original music by Dan PowellCarole Sabouraud and Rowan Niemisto
'Every single song on my album has to do with, like, the 'deep homoerotica' of friendships, whether those turned romantic or were just romantic without physical intimacy.'
The pop singer and actress Reneé Rapp has a deep love for her friends. She maintains a nonstop group chat with more than 15 close friends every day. Their lives are so intertwined that the line between platonic and romantic can sometimes get blurry, particularly since many of them have dated each other.
Rapp, best known for her role in the Broadway musical and new film adaptation 'Mean Girls,' has an upcoming album, 'Bite Me,' which delves into the intimacy and messiness of friendships, not just romantic relationships. Mirroring her album's themes, Rapp walks Anna Martin through various vulnerable moments she has recently shared with friends, including one with her best friend and former 'The Sex Lives of College Girls' co-star Alyah Chanelle Scott.
It's no surprise that Rapp chose to read the Modern Love essay 'This is What Happens When Friends Fall in Love' by Sammy Sass. The piece resonates with her own experiences of sustaining love within queer friendships. While Rapp says she doesn't have a blueprint, she has learned to navigate misunderstandings and express genuine love to those closest to her.
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'Modern Love' is hosted by Anna Martin and produced by Reva Goldberg, Emily Lang, Davis Land, Amy Pearl and Sara Curtis. The show is edited by Davis Land, Lynn Levy and Jen Poyant, our executive producer. Production management is by Christina Djossa. The show is mixed by Daniel Ramirez and recorded by Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. It features original music by Dan Powell, Carole Sabouraud and Rowan Niemisto. Our theme music is by Dan Powell.
Special thanks to Daniel Jones, Miya Lee, Larissa Anderson, Dahlia Haddad, Lisa Tobin, Brooke Minters, Felice León, Dave Mayers, Eddie Costas, Sawyer Roque, Sophie Erickson, Mariya Abdulkaf, Mark Zemel, Pat Gunther, Mahima Chablani, Jeffrey Miranda, Isabella Anderson, Christine Nguyen, Reyna Desai, Jordan Cohen, Victoria Kim, Nina Lassam and Julia Simon.
Thoughts? Email us at modernlovepodcast@nytimes.com.Want more from Modern Love? Read past stories. Watch the TV series and sign up for the newsletter. We also have swag at the NYT Store and two books, 'Modern Love: True Stories of Love, Loss and Redemption' and 'Tiny Love Stories: True Tales of Love in 100 Words or Less.'
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